What is a creation, and who owns it? Can AI and its tools answer this question and take the place of human creators without infringing upon artists’ rights? What impact is AI having on music, and more specifically on film music?
These questions, among many others, formed the core of the panel hosted at the Zappeion during the Panathēnea Festival on Thursday, May 28, with AUTODIA making a strong presence. The panel shed light on the challenges and opportunities surrounding the issue through the perspectives of acclaimed songwriter Desmond Child, AUTODIA’s CEO Margarita Panagiotopoulou, Chris Lakey of Kobalt Music, and Leonidas Christopoulos of EKKOMED.
The dialogue focused on the issue of music creation through AI tools, taking as its starting point the new agreement between Spotify and Universal Music Group (UMG). While presented as an innovative development, the agreement has raised significant concerns within the artistic community.
AUTODIA’s CEO emphasized that protecting human creativity has always been, and will continue to be, the Organization’s primary concern, acknowledging that the human emotion that fuels inspiration and artistic creation remains irreplaceable. She further noted that AUTODIA does not oppose technological advancements; rather, it seeks collaboration on equal terms with AI providers, both regarding the use of musical works and the training of their models.
AUTODIA advocates for fair compensation, licensing, and transparency—principles that fully align with the three Cs highlighted by Desmond Child: Consent, Credit, and Compensation. These are the values creators are calling for, and they are the same values championed by Collective Management Organizations in their ongoing efforts to support and protect the music community.